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Almost winter - how do you think we'll do in the snow?

3K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  Fingernipp 
#1 ·
Well I heard Buffalo just got blasted with 21 inches of snow this past week, and I live in the home of Lake Effect storms, so I guess winter weather is pretty much upon us. I wonder how the FWD Calibers are going to handle it? This will be my first winter in 4 years without a 4x4, but I'm hoping that the front wheel drive platform will do okay despite the fact that the car has no form of traction control.

So, any Caliber owners in Siberia have any feedback so I know what to expect?
 
#2 ·
it'll do as well as the driver who drives it.... as long as your easy on the gas and early on the breaks... you'll be fine.... and on top of that watch your speed... i know you 4x4 drivers like to drive all fast in the snow... thinking that 4 wheel drive will stop you faster
 
#3 ·
I think you will be very surprised athow well it will do. FWD does a lot beter than RWD in winter conditions. And 4WD gives too many people a fale sense of security. My dad alwasy said if I can't get where I want to go with 2WD, then I don't need to be there.
 
#5 ·
Thank You Mudstone and HSKR for your points that are common sense to most, but not to some. 4WD will make you go good but unless you've got an anchor to throw out the back it won't help you stop any better than anything else.

That being said, I expect the Caliber to be good in the snow. The Grand Caravan and even the neon are good enough with the FWD that I don't have to worry about getting stuck, just drive smart. :)
 
#6 ·
As long as you know how to drive in the snow and you use winter tires, and not all season, because theyre really only 3 season tires, things should be great. I've never driven a 4x4 in the winter, i've only owned 2wd, and i've never had any problems in the winter. Plus, the ground clearance on the caliber should help prevent hang ups in deep snow.
 
#7 ·
Being ours is the AWD I won't be able to pull E-brake donuts like I do in my Neon!! Empty parking lots late at night in a snowstorm are awesome!!!:D :D

I was tempted to change the Calibers 18" Firestones to a different set for the winter, but I think I will wait to see how it does in the snow. I have driven enough AWD caravans, Subarus, and others. The only issue might be the width of the tire.

Narrower tires cut a better path. I hope we don't have too bad of winter this year. But if Buffalo is any indication,,,,,,,,,,
 
#9 ·
HSKR said:
I've had ultra-high performance all seasons on my Dakota R/T and did fine in the snow before. It's just knowing how to drive and what your limitations are.
In SoCal.

Now try to do your daily commute and all your errands everyday for five months solid in your Dakota R/T with ultra-high performance tires. Bet they won't last long when snow is more than a novelty in the mountains.
 
#10 ·
Learning how to drive in Alaska, the most important rule I learned is, "It's not what you drive, it's how you drive."

One of my favorite winter activities up there was pulling the out of state military types out of the ditch. Most of these guys were from the southern states and had never driven in snow before. They thought their 4WD SUV's made them invincible. When I woupd show up in my RWD Nissan P/U sporting all-season tires (not snow tires and no studs or chains) and pull them out of the ditch with ease, they would be a mix of happy that I helped them and annoyed that I showed them up.

The Caliber will do just fine so long as the driver knows what to do.
 
#11 ·
witz said:
In SoCal.

Now try to do your daily commute and all your errands everyday for five months solid in your Dakota R/T with ultra-high performance tires. Bet they won't last long when snow is more than a novelty in the mountains.
Check out my user name. I'm from Nebraska. Born and raised till I joined the Navy. My experience drivng on snow with those tires was on a fifteen(due to snow) hour drive from Nebraska to Albuquerque though a blizzard the whole way. The last 200 miles I was pretty much alone on I-40 from the pan handle of Texas into Albuquerque. 4 inches on the ground, sheet of ice underneath. Driving 50mph. This was the Winter of '00. I-40 was shut down due to the storm, but I was already on it. When I got to Albuquerque, the highway patrol was sitting with a roadblock on the fisrt exit making people leave the freeway. Never once spun the tires unless i did it on purpose to check traction. Was passing 4x4's, FWD cars, and big rigs stuck on the side of the road. Not saying all UHP tires would have performed the same, but the BFG G-Force KDWS' I had worked awsome in the snow. When i move back to Nebraska, will probably get them again and not worry about changing tires come winter.
 
#12 ·
I'm from Finland which is part of Scandinavia along with Sweden, Norway and Denmark. You should know that Santa Claus lives in Finland at the Arctic Circle (http://www.santagreeting.net/). We have 4-6 months snow here in the southern Finland and in the northern Finland 6-8 months. So we are pretty used to drive in the snow, ice and cold weather (up to -40 degrees celsius).
 
#13 ·
The Cali's will do just fine.:) I have a Durango in the driveway that will go threw just about anything you throw at it, the wife love's it in the winter. I have always drove the cars in the winter, FWD, and they all have handled great.
 
#15 · (Edited)
jatael said:
I'm from Finland which is part of Scandinavia along with Sweden, Norway and Denmark. You should know that Santa Claus lives in Finland at the Arctic Circle (http://www.santagreeting.net/). We have 4-6 months snow here in the southern Finland and in the northern Finland 6-8 months. So we are pretty used to drive in the snow, ice and cold weather (up to -40 degrees celsius).
I grew up in North Pole, Alaska. We also claim that Santa is from there (North Pole). We get 5-7 months of snow. North Pole is about 120 miles south of the Arctic Circle and -40F is very common in the winter. (FYI -40F and -40C are the exact same temperature, it's the only number on both scales that match up.)

EDIT: Here's a link to the Santa Claus House in North Pole;
http://www.santaclaushouse.com/

 
#16 ·
Im sure the caliber will do great. I have the AWD R/T mainly for that reason. Those times pulling out of a plowed in parking space with 2' of snow it really comes in handy. I got my AWD astro for the days im afraid i may slide off the road in the caliber. The astro is absolutely unstoppable. I have driven it through my yard over my woodpile just after a 2' snowfall with ease.
 
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